Finally
by lizzie1994
Summary: Chloe works her normal; just trying to get through her day without thinking of that big ol' werewolf. But she can't. And when the history repeats itself, will Chloe be able to tell Derek the truth this time? First Fanfic
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **

**Me: Oh, what a lovely day. The birds are singing, the sun is shining.  
Derek: Seriously. You don't own Darkest Powers.  
Me: But, but...But....  
Derek: GET OVER IT!**

Chapter 1:

_CPOV_

It's been six years, eleven months, and twenty-nine days that I've been apart from him. It's weird. Even though my heart refuses to go on, time refuses its objections and continues anyway in some defiance. I still live in New York, and yet I never see him. How could it be?

_The familiar forest passed by as Andrew drove me to my house. I couldn't believe it; I felt numb. We had beaten the Edison Group. As elated as I should've been, I didn't feel anything. I sat in the back, wedged between Tori and Rae. My aunt couldn't be saved. When we had infiltrated their building, we found her already near death. I sat and held her hand as yet another one of my family members died. _

It's all I can do to get up everyday, go to work, come home, and eat. I've made it to directing my own independent films. I've tried to direct a horror film; it didn't work. The supernatural was a part of the film, and it was all I could do to not break down crying. Nope, no horror movies, romance movies, anything that reminded me of the past. Strictly independent, indie films. Those were the safest; everything else brought back the memories.

_Derek had realized that I was taking longer than I should have. I didn't know what to do; I was frozen, just trying to comfort her as best as I could. He followed my scent to the room where the Edison Group had tortured her to point of sickness. All I could see was her face; pale from the proximity to death, bruises and healing cuts scarred her face. He stood behind me, and I could hear his deep breathing. My own head was reeling from the lack of oxygen. Then after a bit, he dropped down so that he was crouching, and hugged me. I tucked my face into the crook of his neck as the tears exploded from my eyes. He squeezed me tighter, and my sobs shook me. Just like losing my mother; except worse. I hadn't been fighting for her life for what seemed forever._

I got up from bed, feeling the usual depression of living each day. I jumped in the shower, following the rituals of getting ready. Got dressed in a pair of cargo pants and a camisole, followed by a thick sweatshirt. Got a cup of coffee and some toast. Left for the set. When I got to the set, I saw that no one was there. I went into a trailer, trying to warm up from the chill of New York fall. I got out my work journal and jotted down some ideas that grasped my mind during the night. Then I let my mind simply drift, just doodling. I was early anyways; about an hour early. The limitations of my life don't really include a social life.

_He massaged my back. I could feel him breathing on my neck. Derek's smell comforted me, even though it seemed like the whole world was falling down. The pain was so great._

"_C'mon, Chloe. She's gone, now. We have to go to," Derek whispered in my ear. I couldn't move, and Derek seemed to sense that. He picked me up, and carried me out of the building all together. He brought me to the van. Simon was there. _

"_What's wrong? Is she okay?" Simon asked, standing up immediately. I heard a large blast and smelled smoke. I clutched to Derek. He must've mouthed something to his brother, because the next thing that Simon said was, "Oh, Chloe."_

_Derek put me down on the ground, holding me up so that I still wouldn't fall._

"_I've got her now, bro," Simon said in a small, sad voice. I could feel an additional pair of arms around me. But I didn't want those arms. I wanted the ones that carried me outside. I still had my eyes closed, and I clutched to whom I thought was Derek. But then I smelled Simon's cologne, and I looked desperately around. Derek was gone._

_Simon pulled my head to his chest, running his hands through my hair. I cried even harder. When we all got into the van, Simon sat with me, Derek in the front, and Rae and Tori in the middle. Kip had died also. I tried to feel compassion towards Simon, but none was there._

_They drove me home first. Everyone gave me their e-mail addresses, except for Derek that is. He said he shared Simon's. They let me out near the fence, but far away enough so that they wouldn't be picked up by the cameras. One by one, my friends got out of the white van. Rae and Tori were crying. I hugged them first, saying that I would e-mail them soon. I gave Andrew a hug. He whispered to call him if I ever wanted help with necromancy. I had his number on the slip with the e-mail addresses. Then Simon gave me a hug. I didn't like how long it lingered; sure, Simon was there in my time of need. But it made me feel for him like a brother, whereas before I was beginning to get annoyed. But just when I was about to say something, he pulled away, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed furiously, trying to portray that we were __**just **__friends. Then Derek walked over._

_My heart stopped. I couldn't breathe. How the hell was I suppose to say goodbye to him? We stood awkwardly for a minute; I was trying to memorize his emerald eyes. Then he leaned down, almost completely bent over to hug me. I tried hard not to cry; I really did. But the moment that I was in his arms, my face in the crook of his neck, I just couldn't handle it. I could feel his heart pounding. His clutch on me was strong and firm. Good, I thought. I never wanted to let go of him. _

_I tried to hold onto him as long as I could; breathing deeply in his woodsy smell. He whispered something, though I couldn't hear it. I pulled away to try and ask him, but Andrew took that as a sign that I was ready to go._

"_C'mon Chloe. It's time to go."_

_I looked at everyone, lingering on Derek. "I-I'm g-g-going to mis-s-s everyone s-s-so much. Please, let's not lose each other." The tears kept rolling out of my eyes. I kept watching Derek, though Simon was still trying to capture my gaze. "I love you all." I let that little piece slip out, trying to tell Derek that I didn't want Simon. I wanted him. I loved him. And I was saying goodbye._

_I waited for a few seconds, trying to see if there was any lightbulbs going off in his mind. When I didn't see any, I turned, took a deep breath, and began the walk up the road; away from my true love._

I didn't realize that I was crying until my assistant director, Melissa handed me a tissue. She's been with me ever since I started directing. She knew that I had a hard past; she was almost my best friend.

I smiled weakly at her. "Thanks," I said after blowing my nose. Then I looked down at my journal. I had sketched a wolf. A sharp pain went through my chest.

"Hey, that's pretty good," she said, looking down. "A movie idea?"

"No, no, no no. It's, uh, I used to be really connected with wolves. And, um, it had a bad ending." I took a deep breath and shut the book. "So, any news?"

She shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, Lindsey decided to go and party last night. She's getting her stomach pumped and won't be able to return to the set for a while."

I groaned. Lindsey is the only character in my entire film, and her acting's amazing. It has to be. We had to do auditions for a year until we found her; we have no understudy.

"So that means no filming today?" she asked, grimacing.

"No filming," I said, and began to pack up my things. This was not good. I put my entire being into my work so that I can go home exhausted. Now I'll have to spend the entire day wallowing. "Can you call everyone and tell them the news?"

Melissa nodded. "Of course." As I began to leave, she said something.

"Chloe, are you going to be okay tomorrow?"

I flinched. Tomorrow will be the day that I left the group; most of the time I try to just spend it in bed, crying. Melissa knows that that day isn't a good day for me.

I shrugged. "I'm not going to go jump off a bridge, if that's what you mean."

"Listen. I've got tickets to go see Rent, but I have to take care of my sister's kid. Take 'em."

My eyes bulged. "Melissa, you can't do that. They must've been so expensive."

She made a face. "Yeah, well, you need to get out missy. I don't want you wallowing around tomorrow. When's the last time you actually went out and did something?"

I finished packing up my bags. "That doesn't matter. What's going to happen to the tickets if I don't take them?"

"I guess that I'll have to just throw them away. No one else that I know likes that kind of stuff."

I sighed. I didn't really want to see a musical about death and love, but if it's for Melissa....

"Fine. I'll take them."

She smiled, and fished two rectangular pieces of paper out of her bag. "Here you go! Try to have some fun, okay?"

I nodded, and left the set to go home and pack.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own DP**

**Chapter 2:**

I finished packing my things, called to reserve a hotel room, and looked around my apartment. It was small; I didn't like having all of the extra room. It made me feel lonelier than I already was. It was furnished with all tans and browns. Not much color.

My eye was caught on a mirror. In some ways, I have changed so much since the Lyle House. My skin got paler than it already was. I didn't really eat that much anymore, so it was sunken in. My blue eyes were dull, and my blonde hair didn't have the sheen that it used to have. I looked like an adult, but I was often mistaken for someone much younger, since my shortage of height, curves, and boobs never really popped up (or out). I was pretty; I often got the look from the guys at the coffee shop. But I doubted anyone ever thought of me as beautiful.

I checked my e-mail just to waste time. I had a message from the girls. But the one person that I needed to hear from wasn't there. The first one read:

_Dear Chloe,_

_Guess what deary? Do you remember the guy I mentioned who I worked with, and he was amazingly good looking? Well, apparently he thought I was cute as well, because we've been on a couple of dates now! We should really get together; we could double date! John (that's his name) really wants to meet you. I'm sure that you must've snagged a guy by now. At the Lyle House, you had all of the guys wrapped around your fingers. I think that we might be close to becoming boyfriend and girlfriend. I hope so, anyway..._

_Anyway, give me a call! We haven't talked in ages, and we should really get together. Love you, sister!_

_~Hot headed Rae_

I shook my head. Rae was such a romantic. I'm sure that the whole deal with this guy wasn't going to last all that long, but I wasn't going to burst her bubble. And I surely wasn't going to go on a double date with her and John. There's only one wolf out there for me, and any other feels wrong. Plus I don't know if I'll be able to see her falling for a guy she's only known for a couple of months. It's hard enough walking down the street and seeing couples together.

The next message was from Tori:

_Chloe,_

_How are you doing? God, the beach is so nice. I don't see how you can stand to live in New York still. It's filled with dirty snow and sewer rats. But whatever floats your boat, I guess._

_What's got you down? I already told you that you should try to find Derek. I know, I know, you don't like him, blah blah blah. I saw you guys when you left. Don't be an idiot. The worst thing that he can tell you is that Simon is home so he can't do you right there and then. Trust me._

_Anyways, Lucas proposed. Yup, I've got a huge rock on my finger. You should come to the wedding. You are the maid of honor, in case you didn't know. There's no way you are getting out of it either. I know that you pull shit on Rae, but I'm not buying it. Why don't you try to get everyone together? You know, the whole gang? It'd be nice...if you tell anyone I said that, I will put you in such a binding spell you won't be able to piss._

_Hey. I miss you. I know for a fact that everyone else misses you. Stop hiding in the shadows and join the rest of the supernatural world. Come and visit sometime._

_~The Queen Bitch Witch, Tori_

I sighed. Even though I personally liked Rae more than Tori, Tori knew me better. She knew that I am in love with Derek. But what she doesn't know is that Derek doesn't love me back.

I've thought about it. I never got one e-mail from him in seven years. Not a call, not snail mail, not even a text message. Simon mentions him every once in a while, but it's not enough. I need direct contact with him.

But I know for a fact that Derek doesn't love me; Simon told me that Derek had got a girlfriend a couple years back. All hope I had was smashed. I'm still having a hard time accepting it. I don't know whether they got married and had puppies or broke up. Simon never mentioned it again. And I never asked him. Hearing that he had moved on broke me being.

I looked at the clock. It was close enough to bedtime. I shut off the computer and cried myself to sleep.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

When I woke up, I couldn't help but groan. Today was the day. Seven years exactly, today. I got up, jumped into the shower, made myself some cereal, and sat down to eat. I finished, trying to procrastinate. I loaded my car up with luggage, grabbed my cell phone, and got ready for the ride down to Broadway.

As I pulled onto the highway, I turned on the radio, hoping that today wasn't the day that they would be playing the sappy love songs. I was lucky enough, anyways. Talking about the world ending wasn't half as bad as _that_.

I drove, for about a good hour, when the engine started smoking.

"Shit," I said, and pulled over. As I went out to put up the hood, I had to turn away. Coughing, I saw that the engine was completely shot. I groaned, and went into my car to grab my phone. I tried Simon, but I found that I had no bars. I was screwed. I went to the back of my car and sat on my trunk as I thought about what I should do. Hitchhiking was dangerous, but it might be my only way out. No cell phone, no way to fix the engine, nothing. I burrowed my face in my hands.

As I sat, I heard a car slow down. I looked up to see that someone had stopped. A young man stepped out of the car.

"Why, miss, do you have someone on the way?"

He gave me the creeps. "Yup. He lives a little ways away. Thanks, though."

He eyed me, and I wished that today wasn't the day that I decided to wear a skirt. My stomach felt all weird. I looked around to see if any other cars were coming; the roads were barren, and there was a forest on both sides of the highway. I was out of luck.

"Well, I don't feel right just leaving you all alone here," he said, leaning against the hood of his car. "Why don't I keep you company until your ride gets here?"

I took a deep breath, and tried to cover up as much skin as I could. I was out of luck. But I wasn't going to be one of those victims on the movies. He touched me, he was getting a good heel to the groin.

"So, where were you going?" he asked, an obvious look in his eye.

"Oh, um, just to my dad's house. Me and my fiance are going to tell him the good news in person." I smiled generously.

He smiled a smile of lust. "Oh really now? What's the lucky fellow's name?"

"Derek," I said as my heart burst at the thought of us ever getting married. "He's a really good guy. Policeman."

The man took a step forwards. "You ever get lonely while he's gone?"

"Nope." My words were harsh and cold. "He's all I'll ever want."

Another step. "Well, have you ever looked at anything but him?"

I slowly began to undo my heels. I knew that I could run without shoes on; I still practice those muscles that I built up. "Of course. His brother was my first boyfriend."

He laughed, and got too close. I began to inch of the trunk. "Maybe it's their genes or something, that makes them so irresistible. I know that _you_ are quite mouth watering."

I took off, running past him. I tried running in the grass, but could see the shiny specs of broken glass. I swore, and took off on the tar. I could hear him running after me, his heavy feet clomping on the ground clumsily. I hoped and prayed that a car was coming soon. I may be able to run longer than, him, but he was faster. I kept going, my feet tearing from the black tar. If I kept going for much longer, my feet would begin to bleed. But what choice did I really have?

He was getting closer. I knew that. The sound of his feet slapping on the ground was growing louder. Not one car had passed. I was so scared; I wished that Derek was there. He could help. Hell, I wouldn't mind if Tori was here right now; at least she could fight back. I wasn't going to raise any corpses anytime soon. I did that enough when I was younger.

Like an idiot, I looked back. And screamed. He was almost an arms length away from me. A couple more strides and he would get me. And then I saw it.

A car. I screamed again, running towards the car, waving me hand. The man tackled me, and my head cracked against the pavement. I could feel hot, sticky blood run down my face. I began kicking the man, but he wouldn't give up.

_He must be on drugs,_ I thought. I had kicked him in the groin multiple times already, and yet he wasn't giving up.

Just as he was getting on the upper hand, I heard the car stop. I thanked the universe, and tried avoiding being dragged into the woods. If he succeeded in getting me in there, I was dead.

"HEY!" the man driving the car jumped out and was chasing my assaulter. It wasn't hard for him to do. He was so big...

He tackled the assaulter, and they rolled around, punching and kicking. Then I got hit with de ja vu.

"Derek?" I asked, heart exploding. The man that was saving my life had long black hair, a black sweatshirt on, and baggy jeans. I knew it. It was indeed Derek.

He looked up, confused. Then it hit him. His entire face lit up. "Chloe?"

The man punched him, right in the jaw. I looked around, trying to find someway that I could help. But I saw it wasn't needed. Derek gave the guy a couple more punches, and then raced towards me. The assaulter laid where Derek had left him.

Derek's huge arms went around my waist, lifting me up in the air. My own arms went around his neck. My entire being was on fire. I finally found him.

His skin had cleared, and his hair was shiny. It was shorter than the last time I saw him... He had the same body; but his height was now reaching maybe six and a half feet. I felt shorter than I had in a while. And I was loving every minute of it.

When he set me down, he didn't let go of me. He just looked at me, and then I saw his nostrils flare. His eyes widened as his hand went to the side of my head. He touched gently, yet I still winced. He pulled his hand away, and I could see the blood.

"Get in," he said, and I nodded, getting into his sleek car. He got in as quickly as he could, and then punched the gas.

"How's your head? Do you feel dizzy at all? Light headed?"

I smiled. Nothing had changed. "Oh, Derek, I missed you."

He looked over, and I saw his lips curve upwards for a minute. "You have no idea how much I missed you, Chloe."

"Then Derek, why didn't you try to contact me at all?" I know how weird our conversation must've been as we kept saying each other's name. But I couldn't help it. I haven't seen him in almost ten year. Seven years exactly.

He shook his head. "I tried. But then, I don't know."

That was my answer. But before I could say anything, he asked the next question.

"What the hell happened?"

I shrugged. "I got a couple of tickets to go see Rent tonight, and my car broke down. The creeper stopped, and stayed even after I told him that I had someone coming."

"Did you?"

I shook my head. "Nope. No cell phone reception. So I was stuck, and then he came too close. I ran."

I barely heard his growl, but I basked in the sound of it. That just proved even more that he was here, with me. I was having a hard time accepting it.

The car began to spin. I must've been losing a lot of blood. I put my head back against the seat, trying to take deep breaths.

"Chloe? Are you alright?"

Then I slipped into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own DP**

**Chapter 3:**

_DPOV:_

I watched as her head rolled back against the car seat. I knew that she was losing too much blood. I punched the gas even more.

She was here. She was alive. In my car. With me.

Her beautiful blonde hair was longer than ever. It seemed that she had gotten even more beautiful since that night, exactly seven years ago today. Never had I felt greater pain. Leaving her was hard enough; but then I tried to tell her I love her, and I didn't even get an answer. Not a yes or a no. Anything would've been better than this silence I"ve had to live through throughout the past years.

I turned off and headed towards the hospital.

"Chloe, can you hear me?"

She mumbled something.

"C'mon. Keep talking to me. What have you been up to?"

This time I didn't get any answer.

I reached over to her, feeling her feint pulse. My heart felt like it was going to explode. The wolf was snarling, furious that that bastard had hurt her. He was lucky that she distracted me enough so that I didn't kill him. He was lucky that I didn't recognize her immediately and sent him straight to hell.

The emergency room was right there. I hurried, and jumped out of the car as soon as it had stopped in front of the hospital doors. I hurried around and picked up Chloe.

She was so light; I could feel the bones beneath her skin. She hasn't been eating enough; was it she just didn't want to eat, or did she not have enough money?

I ran through the doors, and everyone's attention had been caught.

"What happened?" a nurse asked, standing up from behind her desk.

"She smacked her head on pavement. She passed out on the way here."

A flurry of doctors came in, and I put her on a gurney.

"About how long did she hit her head?"

"Seven minutes."

I could tell by the look on the head doctor's face that it wasn't good.

"Please," I said, looking down. "Save her."

He looked up. "Boy, are we gonna try."

I sat down in a chair, and hung my face in my hands. Fate was cruel.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

I didn't move. The wolf inside of me was pacing, growling at times, and others howling in pain.

This was the day. The day we parted. Seven years ago.

_Her aunt had died; I couldn't bear to tell her that my dad had died also. I didn't want her to worry about me. I had carried her out of the building. She clutched to me, crying hard. She was still shaking._

_As I saw the van coming, I tried to take a few moments with her. I stopped behind a tree, letting her down gently. Her fingers had an inescapable grip on my shirt. I held her to me, rubbing her back. I could hear Simon running down the hill; he must've seen us coming. I didn't know what to do. I was sure that Simon would use this opportunity for getting closer to Chloe. The wolf inside growled viciously. _

_Simon spotted us. "What's wrong? Is she okay?" I cursed silently._

"_Her aunt is dead," I mouthed. _

_His expression softened. "Oh, Chloe."_

_I had leaned Chloe up against a tree, and Simon came over. She immediately clutched to him. He rubbed her back, running his hands through her hair. I knew right then, that I had lost her. After everything I had done, Chloe finally chose. She chose Simon._

_A pain so great went through my chest, and I lost my breath. It was all I could do to simply turn away._

_I walked away, to the van. Andrew found me. He had gotten over his aversion to me. When he saw my face, he gave me a hug. I hung to him, tears coming down my face. Surely he thought I was crying over my dad. But I was crying over the loss of my mate._

I remembered that night, feeling the same pain, though not as great. Chloe was not going to leave me again. Nope. This time I will tell her the truth, right out. The wolf hung his head, feeling the similarity of the two situations.

The smell of disinfectants were strong in the air, and was beginning to make my head swim. I could hear people crying for their loved ones, the beeping of the machines, skin being cut open. Hospitals were not my favorite thing in the world.

"Um, is there a person for Chloe Saunders?"

My heart jumped, and I stood up immediately. A young woman was standing in the doorway, looking at her chart.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said, waiting more than anxiously for the answer.

"Well, she obviously lost a lot of blood. The surgeons found that her skull had shattered on her left side. They repaired it, and we gave her a blood transfusion. We're just waiting to see what happens."

I took a deep breath. "Can I see her?"

The nurse nodded. "She's unconscious right now. You can talk; we don't know if she'll hear you or not."

I followed her throughout the maze of the hospital, and I found Chloe's scent. It smelled wrong.

"Alright, she's right in this room," the nurse said, and I ran in.

I almost collapsed. I saw her, her pale skin much paler than usual. She was breathing shallowly, her full lips partway open. She was hooked up to a bunch of machines, with an IV dripping. The worse was the huge bandage around her head. The blood had seeped through, making the bandage red. I walked over slowly, bringing a chair. Then, I sat by her side, holding her hand.

Her hand was so delicate, so dainty in mine. It was almost like a child's hand in mine. I could feel a feint pulse.

"Oh Chloe," I whispered. "Why do you keep running away from me?"

Her eyelids fluttered, and she mumbled something.

I gulped. "What was that?"

"Derek," she whispered, almost intelligible. "You here?"

I smiled a humorless smile. "Of course, Chloe. I'll always be here."

She smiled, her light pink lips curving upwards. "Good. Stay."

My heart stuttered. "How are you?" I asked, stroking her hair.

She took a couple breaths, smiling. "That feels good," she said. "Derek, don't leave."

"I won't. I promise."

"No, I mean forever."

I had to hold my breath. She was incoherent. The pain medicine was making her not think. That's all it was.

"I'll be by your side," I said. "Forever."

She smiled again, and then no more words were said.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

I stayed for a night, and the next day too. She didn't wake up again. Nothing really changed. A few times I caught the pitied glances from the nurses. I had put her voice and smile to my memory; I wasn't going to forget. I stayed on that chair, getting up twice for food and bathroom breaks.

I was going to look at a house in New York City. I had been living out in the country for a while, trying to either forget her or convince myself that she was better off without me. That day, when Simon had told me that she had a boyfriend, that was the day I decided to leave Simon's place. I left the city, trying to find a place where I wasn't constantly reminded of her. I didn't necessarily find the oasis that I was looking for, but it was better than the city. But lately, my resolve to try to forget her has been broken. I was going to move into the city, get a job, and try to find her before it was too late.

I wasn't going to live the rest of my life wondering about her.

_When we got ready to drop her off, everyone filed, one by one, out of the van. Chloe's face was turning red from holding back tears. The other girls were already crying. I was trying hard not to cry myself. _

_This would be the last time I get to see her._

_She hugged Rae, and then Tori. I could see that she was having a hard time. Andrew gave her a hug, telling her to call. My heart throbbed. _

_Simon hugged her next. He lingered, and I slightly smiled mentally when I could smell the distaste coming off of her. He kissed her on the cheek, and the smell spiked. She turned away from him, and looked at me. Her sapphire eyes were beginning to form crystal tears._

_We just watched each other, for a few seconds. In the pit of my heart, I knew that we shouldn't be leaving each other. We should be saying goodbye to everyone else on this bus, and then walking up to her dad together. But I vanished those thoughts, and walked over to my mate. I hugged her strongly, the wolf screaming at me to do something; kiss her, tell her, anything. She encased me with her arms, her being, her everything. Chloe tucked her face in the crook of my neck, and I did the same. She smelled so wonderful, if it wasn't so painful. When a wolf smells pain on their mate, it echoes in themselves, yet magnified. When I felt wetness on my neck, I had to grit my teeth together, trying to avoid crying._

_This is it, I thought. I need to tell her. _

"_Chloe, I love you," I whispered. I doubt she heard me. She pulled way so that she could see my face. I knew by the look of hers that she didn't hear me. Andrew took this as a different sign. He called her over, and I choked on a sob as she left. I tried to memorize her; every single part of her. I didn't hear anything that she said. And when she turned to leave, I climbed back into the van, and let all of the tears go._

_I knew then that I had lost her._

I am so sick of losing her. First with Simon, then just leaving her physically, and now this.

I still had a firm clutch on her hand. I had to keep her. The wolf inside me was pacing, trying to find some way to help her, even though I had told him multiple times that we did all we could.

I felt her fingers twitch, and I looked up immediately. I saw her eyes flicker yet again, and my mind went to the worse possible situation; was she about to have a seizure?

I held my breath as she opened her eyes slowly. She blinked a couple times, and looked around. When she saw me, her face lit up.

"Derek," Chloe said.

**Alright now. What's a good amount? Seven? Six? Yeah, six reviews before I load the next chapter! Please be honest, first fanfic. It's rated M for a much later chapter that I am *very* excited to write. **

**So hit that little green button! How could you not? It's so...cute!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Daaaannngg, I didn't realize how big of a turn out this would be! You guys are all great. Weeelllll, here's another chapter, and since you guys gave me more reviews than what I asked for, you guys get another chapter for free! Aren't I such a nice person?**

**Chapter 4:**

_CPOV_

I opened my eyes slowly, and looked around to see the basic setup of a hospital room. Then I saw Derek. I smiled, unable to hide my happiness.

"Derek?"

He let out a big breath, and smiled. "How are you feeling hon.?"

My heart stuttered. Then I did a mental check up. My feet were sore, and I had a pain in the side of my head. But nothing that I couldn't manage.

"I'm fine. How long have I been here?"

"About three days," he said. He shook his head. "You gave me quite a scare."

I loved the feeling of my hand in his. It reminded me of a dog's paw. "So, what have you been up to?" I asked, wanting to hear him.

"Eh, just living out in the countryside. Got lonely, though, so I decided to move back to the city." He gave me a look. "You?"

I thought about that. He had been lonely, which must mean that he and his girlfriend broke up.

"I've been directing some indie films," I said. "No biggie."

"What else?" he asked, and I could tell what he was hinting at.

"Nothing. Other than directing, I don't really have a life."

I saw something in his eyes, and I really hoped it was good. "How's it going with all of the ghosts?"

I scrunched my nose. "Well, there are so many of them. They all expect me to talk to them, help them out, whatever. I just try to avoid it as much as I can. Have you Changed fully yet?"

He nodded. "Yup. I can almost control when it happens, too."

I smiled. "I've missed you so much. Where did you want to move to?"

He shrugged. "Where do you live?"

"In a little town, west of Albany. Where are you going to stay?"

He shrugged again..

"Well, if they ever let me out, you can stay with me."

Our eyes locked, and my heart started to pound. He began to lean in, ever so slowly. I could tell by the look on his face what he wanted. It was absolutely fine by me. It was all I could do to not rip the IV's out of my arm and show him that I wanted him as he wanted me. Derek whispered my name and...

"Miss Saunders." The doctor walked right in, and Derek snapped back to his chair, all desire gone from his face. My own heart was still pounding. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better," I said with a smile.

"Well, if all goes well, we should be able to release you today." He turned to Derek. "And you are?"

"I'm a good friend," he said, his hold on my hand still firm. "I also brought her in."

He nodded. "Well, I'm Dr. Dillamond. I'm just going to check your head, here..." he said, and began to unwrap my bandage. I winced slightly, but Derek noticed. He rubbed circles on my hand soothingly.

"Well, it looks like you're healing nicely. You're a very lucky girl."

I smiled as I looked at Derek. "I know I am."

I was released later than afternoon. I had to take antibiotics and couldn't drive, work, that sort of thing. I was just happy that I was getting out of that situation without any dire consequences.

Derek drove me back to my house. We stopped at my car to pick up my clothes. He said that he was going to call a mechanic after we got to my house.

When we drove to the apartment, he grabbed both of my suitcases in one hand, and then kept a steady hand on my back as we went up on the elevator. I wished that he couldn't hear my heart, though I was sure any normal human could hear it pounding so loudly.

When we got to my apartment, I opened the door and sat on the tan couch. I got comfortable as Derek put the suitcases down.

"Nice place you got," he said, nodding.

"Thanks," I said, patting the couch besides me. "You hungry?"

He smiled. "Always."

I called my favorite pizza place, ordering two large meat lovers pizza and one large veggie pizza, a side of wings, and two liters of Coke. Then I put the television on a music video channel.

We kind of just looked at each other for a minute; the silence wasn't awkward by any means. My heart was ecstatic that I had found him once again; this time I wasn't going to lose him.

"So, uh, what are you going to do once you get a place here?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Whatever becomes available. I don't really care about the job."

"So you don't want to become a math professor or anything like that? I'm sure that colleges are always looking for geniuses to teach."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't call myself that, exactly."

I became confused. "Why not? You must be figuring out more digits to pi by now. I still can't do the math that you used to do, back when we were teenagers."

"Well, maybe in math. But in life," he leaned back against the couch, eyes locked onto mine. "I've been pretty stupid."

I disagreed. I was sure that no matter the case, Derek would always be the smartest one.

"So, have you been keeping up with Tori and Rae?" he asked.

I nodded. "Rae has once again fallen madly in love with someone at her office. And Tori is getting married. She lives in California now, on Laguna Beach. She wants everyone to come. Can you believe that she wants me to be her maid-of-honor?" I laughed slightly, though I was still honored to be chosen.

"Hmm. Maybe we should all go," he said, with an absent mind.

"Really? You'd do that? Last time I knew you guys weren't talking."

He shrugged. "Times change."

I looked down at the carpet. "And other times, you're stuck in the past," I mumbled quietly. Unfortunately, I wasn't used to having super werewolf hearing. Just when Derek was going to ask about that, the doorbell rang.

I got up to answer it, but Derek got up instead.

"You need to stay resting," he said as he headed towards the door.

He paid the pizza man, and brought everything to the little coffee table. I told him where the plates and cups were, we were digging in.

It was so nice to see him eat. I know that sounds so weird. But apparently his never ending need for food hadn't changed since I knew him, and it felt amazing to see something from the past again. I sort of wanted to know about Simon; I hadn't received an email from him in a while. But I knew that if I brought that up, Derek would take it the wrong way, thinking that I still had a thing for his brother. Wasn't he ever wrong.

"So Chloe," Derek asked, wiping his face with a napkin. "Simon said something. What was his name?"

Umm...what exactly was he talking about? "I beg your pardon?"

"You know. You're boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, or whatever. What was his name?"

A boyfriend?! ME?! I started choking on my pizza. "Derek, I haven't had a boyfriend."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "You mean after all this time you still haven't-"

"No," I said harshly. "I haven't. But what about your girlfriend?"

"What?" "You know. I forgot what her name was." Lie. "Victoria, or something like that." It was actually Veronica Lynn. "What ever happened with her?"

He still had an eyebrow raised. "Chloe, I haven't had a girlfriend."

"But Simon said-"

"Well apparently Simon says a lot of things, now doesn't he?" Derek said. I could see his nostrils flaring slightly. "You haven't had a boyfriend, and I haven't had a girlfriend. All cleared up, I guess."

"Simon lied? Why would he do that?"

I could see a bright pink spread over his face. Was he actually blushing?!

"So, um, you, you like this music?" he asked, pointing to the TV.

I nodded. My favorite hard rock band was on. "One of my favorites."

We stayed on easier topics for the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

_DPOV:_

I stayed in the guest room. I could hear her breathing easily, the occasional ruffling of the sheets. What I wouldn't do to get in those sheets...

STOP IT! I yelled at the wolf. That wasn't fair. Not when those walls were so thin. _Then do something about it,_ murmured the wolf. _Go in. Just slip under the covers. Give her a soft kiss._ No, I argued back. She was so vulnerable right now. It wouldn't be fair. Just because I almost kissed her in the hospital doesn't mean a thing. _You idiot! We both remember the smell that was rolling off her in waves. Her arousal, her desire. Her love. You remember, I remember, and you just chose to do nothing about it! _She'll come to me when she wants to, I thought to him. Either she will or she won't. How about this. If nothing happens in a week, then I'll tell her how I feel. Then we hear her opinion, and respect it, okay? Mate or no mate, Chloe will NOT be forced into something that she doesn't feel.

The wolf growled angrily, and I could feel a smug smile on my face. At least I had won this battle. And then I heard it.

Chloe's breathing went from even and gentle to close to hyperventilation. She was making high pitch sounds that were getting closer and closer to a scream. I jumped out of the bed and ran into her room.

She was struggling in bed, her face filled with terror. I ran over to her, and put my hands on her shoulders gently.

"Chloe, wake up," I said firmly. She wouldn't respond. I shook her for a second, and then put both hands on the side of her face. "Chloe, wake up. It's a dream. C'mon, I'm here. Wake up."

She stopped struggling, and eventually she opened her eyes. They were filled with horror. Then her lip starting to tremble.

"Oh, Derek," she said, and clutched to me. I loved the feeling of her face against my bare chest. I chose to sleep in boxers tonight, no shirt. I sat down on the bed, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Shh," I whispered to her. "It was just a dream. It's okay, honey." I rocked her back and forth, trying to calm her. After several minutes, she simply laid on my chest, exhausted from both the nightmare and crying.

As Chloe took deep breaths, I stroked her hair. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked quietly.

She shook her head, and swallowed. "No. Just, just stay here. I don't want to see it again."

I nodded, and tucked myself under her blankets. My chest was wet from her tears. She hugged my neck, and fell asleep, head on my chest. I smiled as I looked down at her.

Sure, many guys thought that the girl they were in love with was beautiful. This was more. Every time I saw her, my breath is taken away. Her pulchritude almost outshines the sun, and it's hard to believe that this angel even talks to me, with all the things that I've done.

The wolf was happy, prancing around. I kissed her forehead gently, and fell asleep with an angel in my arms.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

The next morning, I woke up, a little confused and disoriented. It had been a while since I had a good night's sleep. Then I could feel her. Feeling the weight of her partially on my body felt natural. I slowly opened my eyes. I wondered if she knew that our hearts were synchronized. When I saw her, I couldn't help but smile. Her blonde hair was laid out across my chest, and her head was in the middle. Her body was halfway on mine. I could see her face. She was so peaceful, with slight upward curves in the corner of her full lips. I ran my fingers through her hair, almost without thinking.

Her smile increased. I ran my thumb across her jaw line, and she stirred. She brought up her head, and blinked a couple times. When she saw me, her face turned red. I could smell the embarrassment rolling off her, but there was something else. Was that happiness?

"I'm sorry about last night," Chloe said, looking down at my chest, then averting her eyes somewhere else.

"Why?" I asked, confused. She rubbed an eye.

She shrugged. "Thought that you might've liked a nice night without someone hogging the bed. I'm sure I snored too."

I didn't mind that she hogged the bed. Well,she mostly shared my part. And she did snore too. But all it did was warm my heart and help me sleep even better.

"Chloe, I'd rather you tell me that you had a nightmare than to think of one night's sleep for me," I said, raising an eyebrow. "Kay?"

She nodded, then looked at the clock. Then her eyes widened. "Crap! I'm suppose to be at work!"

"No you're not," I said. "Call your boss or whatever. You can't work, remember? Head injury?"

She touched the bandage and winced, like she almost forgot it was there. "Oh."

I laughed at the look on her face. "Hey, now you get to spend the rest of the day with me."

What if she wanted some time for herself? My inner voice asked. What if she didn't even want you to stay over? _Oh shut up. Let's just see what she says. But you know very well that she is going to be happy._

The wolf was right. Her face lit up, and I could see (as well as smell) the happiness. My own mood picked up.

"Okay," she said. "Maybe I wouldn't mind that." She got off on the other side of the bed, and swayed. I immediately got up, but she just put her hand on the wall and assured me that she was okay.

"I'm just going to take a shower, and then I'll make some breakfast, okay?" she asked, as relaxed and comfortable as I've ever seen her.

"Okay," I said, smiling. She went into the bathroom, and I got up to at least go put some jeans on.

Today was going to be a good day.

**Alrighty. Since I'm not working without getting paid (getting paid=reviews) let's see the cash rolling in! How about eight this time? There is a plot, I swear. It just comes in later chapters. I am going to try my hardest not to get sucked into the dark absymal hole of plotless fanfiction! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing! It's a really awesome feeling to see your mailbox full of reviews! Now for the lemon deal...it's not coming for a while. I'm can't tell you when it happens, but not for a while. I haven't even...uh...wrote it yet, but never fear! I'll write it...EVENTUALLY! (sorry, my other identity is captain eventually). Hope you like this chapter. This is where the plot begins *grins wickedly* **

**Chapter 6:**

_CPOV:_

I began to take off my pajamas, assessing how badly I was injured. I had bad scrapes all along my forearms, elbows, knees and shins. My head was throbbing. I took some aspirin for that. Other than that, I was fine. A couple bruises here and there, but that was normal for me. I was always tripping and running into things.

I let the water beat down on me, washing my wounds thoroughly. It stung, but I ignored it. I thought of last night.

Last night's nightmare was one of the worst so far. There was a ghost living here, but in my life I have learned that it doesn't matter where you go; they will be there. This one only affects my dreams, but they've been getting worse and worse. A couple weeks ago, I had to wake myself up, splash some water on my face, and I was fine. It's all the same dream; the intensity just keeps getting cranked up.

I'm in a dark, abysmal hole. That's it. I just feel so detached, almost like I died. It's a world of nothingness that continues to threaten to drag me in. And it's absolutely terrifying.

I trembled at the thought, and was more than ecstatic that Derek was here to help me through. It was almost like the moment he came to my room, I felt better. When we touched, the dream had almost disappeared completely. The feeling of his skin beneath mine, the sound of his heart beating, the smell of him... It's all almost too much to take in. And I'm loving every single minute of it. Last night was the best sleep of my life. I just wished that he had gotten some sleep too. I mean, I know that I snore, and he must've not been very comfortable with me laying on top of him like that...

My face turned red. Just the very thought of our two bodies, one on top of each other, not only got me blushing like a mad fool, but also drove me wild. I love Derek. And as selfish as it sounds, it's not just his confession of love that I want.

I turned off the water, and got a robe out. I had forgotten to grab clothes in my horrible attempt not to notice that Derek was just in his boxers. What a complete and utter fail.

I opened the door, my robe tucked close. I went into my room to see him still sitting on the bed. I took a deep breath, though I'm sure he could hear.

"Shower's open," I said smiling. He looked up, and his eyes locked onto me. I turned a lovely color of red, yet again. It was amazing the affect he had on me. I waited, but his eyes never left me. I knew that look on his face. My heart picked up a couple beats. "Uh, Derek?"

He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. "Um, what was that?"

"Shower's open," I said again, trying to cover more of my skin with the robe.

He nodded, and got up, keeping his eyes on the ground. I could hear him mumble something about a cold shower, and I tried hard not to giggle or jump him at the same time.

When he left the room, I quickly slid on some jeans and a band t-shirt. I also put on my talisman. I still haven't figured out what it's power is, but it still changes color. Right now, it was a bright orange.

Then I went out to see what I had in the fridge. I feared that I wouldn't have enough for my werewolf guest, but I was happy when I found that I had a brand new box of eggs. I got out a frying pan and started cracking.

When I got about eight eggs cooked when Derek came out. His hair was still wet. I looked over at him and smiled.

"How many eggs would you like?" I asked.

"How many are you going to eat?" he replied back, asking as if the question was vital.

"I don't know. One, I guess. I can make some toast, and I have some fruit, too."

He nodded in approval. "That's good."

I brought him over the plate of eggs, getting out the bread, orange juice, and a glass. After popping in some toast, I poured him a glass of OJ. Then I got my breakfast ready, bringing over a bowl of berries and the plate of toast.

"Thanks," he grumbled, and I smiled.

"Wow. You are still the same Derek from the old teenage days," I said, taking a bite of egg.

He raised an eyebrow. "How's that?"

"Well, you still act the same. Except that you're happier now." I nodded to myself. I had indeed noticed that he has had better spirits than I remembered. "I'm glad."

"That I haven't changed, or that I'm happy?"

"Both."

He looked up at the same exact moment that I did, and our eyes locked. What happened in the hospital was happening again. He stood up slowly, and began walking over to me. Our breathing was getting faster, and our lips were parted halfway. He was now standing right by me. My pulse was racing. I'm sure his was too. He began to kneel down, bringing our faces just inches apart.

"Chloe," he whispered simply. "Chloe."

I brought our faces together, just centimeters apart...

The phone rang, and I jumped. In doing so, I ended up hitting our faces together.

"OW!" I yelled, rubbing my nose. I saw that Derek was doing the same, and I couldn't help but laugh. He joined in, and we were still laughing when I picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I asked, still chuckling.

"Chloe? Where the hell are you? Lindsey's here. We need you."

"Well, you are going to have to go without me," I said. "I have doctor's orders to stay home."

"What happened?" asked Melissa, more gently this time.

"Cracked my head on tar. Don't worry about me, kay?"

"Hey, do you want me to come over?" she asked, now really worried.

"No, it's all good. I've got someone here taking care of me."

Derek snorted, and I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, but, how did Wednesday go?"

I smiled. "Actually, I have declared that day good."

It took her a minute. "Oh my goodness. You mean-"

"Yes, and now I need to go. Call me if you have any emergencies." Then I hung up.

I put the phone back on it's base, and saw Derek watching me. It was inevitable that we were going to kiss, sometime. I just hoped it would be soon. I didn't have the guts to do it myself. I knew that Derek at _least_ liked me. I was happy with that.

"So, uh, where were we?" I asked, awkwardly.

He looked down, trying to decide as to whether or not try it again. When he looked up, he had a content look on his face. "We were eating breakfast."

On the inside, I was sad.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

When we were done and the mess was cleaned up, we sat down and decided to watch a movie. I went through my television channels until I found where I can order movies. I found a horror that was one of my favorites, and sat on the couch next to Derek.

For at least the first twenty minutes, I kept hoping that Derek would put his arm around me, or something. I was still on hyper-drive from the almost kiss. I could barely focus on the movie. With Derek's hulking frame next to mine, I couldn't help but not pay attention to it.

In the end, I decided that I should make this move. I slid closer to him, leaning into his side. He didn't even look my way as he put his arm around me. Then his eyes widened, and he looked down. I pretended not to look, but curled even closer to him. He tightened his arm around me. I sighed with joy. He put his other hand on his leg, palm up, almost hesitantly. I reached out and grasped his hand in mine. I watched the rest of the movie in peace.

When it was done, Derek turned to me, keeping a hold of my hand. He kept his gaze down.

"Chloe, I need to tell you the whole truth."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, and then lifted his eyes to mine. "The reason that I moved out to the country side is because the city reminded me way too much of you."

"Wha-"

"Hang on," he said. "Do you remember the night that we all left each other?"

I nodded.

"I tried to tell you the truth then. But then Andrew got in the middle of it. The truth is the reason that I moved away from Simon, why I haven't had a girlfriend, why I am moving back to the city. And," he took a deep breath. My heart. About. To. Explode. "And the truth is that I tried to tell you-" He stopped, looked around, and then pushed me to the ground. I heard a gun being shot and glass shatter.

"Derek?" I asked, shocked.

He cursed quietly, looking down at the floor. "I should've recognized his scent. Why didn't I recognize his scent?!"

"Whose scent, Derek?" I asked calmly. But on the inside, I was going crazy. All this did was bring back the memories of the Edison Group. I felt sick.

"Andrew's."

Instantly I was confused. Andrew? The guy who saved our lives Andrew? Or some new acquaintance?

I heard a deep growl coming from Derek's throat. I dared a look up at his face, and I was scared. His face almost looked maniacal, the anger that it held.

"Derek?" I whispered. He closed his eyes, putting down his head. We heard another gun shot.

"We are going to run. Okay?"

I nodded. He moved, crawling towards the door. I followed him, out to the hallway, and then we ran down the stairs. I had stumbled a few times, and I continued to get dizzy. Derek caught me a few times, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to do this; I couldn't run, not when I am still recovering.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, hands on the wall. "Derek, I can't do this again."

"What do you mean?" he asked, his breathing even.

"What I mean is that I just barely got out of the hospital. I physically can't handle running down a pair of stairs. How am I suppose to run from a gun?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, Chloe," he whispered, shaking his head. He paced for a minute, his jaw working. I sat down on a stair, beginning to get dizzy again.

"Well, I can only come up with one idea," he said. "Remember how I lived in the countryside for a little while?"

I nodded.

"I have a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. We can load up on food and stuff until you get better. I doubt anybody will be able to find it."

I nodded, standing up. "Okay. Let's go back up to my apartment and let me grab some clothes and the antibiotics."

He sighed, and looked up at the stairwell. I knew that it wasn't a great idea to go back.

"I need to at least grab the medicine. And maybe my wallet, too so I could just buy some clothes instead."

He nodded. "I like that idea better."

We went back up to my apartment, but he wouldn't let me go inside. I told him where the wallet and medicine, and I saw him as he moved on his belly. I held my breath as he was gone. Only when he came back out, unharmed did I feel better.

"Alright. First stop, Target."

This time he carried me down the stairs, and helped me to his car. Then, we set out for the road again.

**Alrighty, I'll be nicer this time. Since everyone has been doing an awesome job at reviewing, I won't ask for a certain number. But I AM asking for reviews. No since in writing something if no one responds. I'll put up the next chapter friday. It made me laugh, writing that one. My friend loved it 3 love you twin! Okay, okay. The little green button is calling your name!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Everyday I check my email and see how many reviews I get. You guys really make my day. Plus it inspires me to not wait to put up another chapter ;) Just to let you know Lyssssx, there will be *a lot* more DPOV's. I just prefer writing them, but if you guys find that there are too many, let me know! Anyways, I laughed so hard while I was writing this. If anybody thinks that this would be out of character for either Chloe and/or Derek, let me know! Adjustments can be made ;)**

**Chapter 7:**

_DPOV:_

Always. Every. Single. Time.

The wolf was getting fed up with the world. He was almost smug when Chloe snuggled into my side during the movie. He howled with joy when she took my hand. I now knew that she at least liked me.

_Why don't you just tell her now? _The wolf asked, smiling. He was finally proven right. _You know how she's going to take it. If you don't tell her soon, she won't understand how serious this is. She'll think that she is just a girl until you get another one._ I'm not like that, though. I don't go through girls and then just throw them away. Chloe knows that too. _Does she? Are you sure? Sure, she knows almost your complete past, but have you guys ever really talked about your romantic histories? You need to tell her __**now**_. I'll tell her when the time is right.

Chloe was looking out the window, smiling. I couldn't help but ask.

"How can you smile when someone just shot at you again?" I asked, tipping my head.

She laughed. "I don't really know if you'd understand. But..."

I waited for a second. "Go on."

She thought for a second longer, and shook her head. "Never mind. You'll understand soon."

I sighed. "Really? I'm not some psychic half-demon. You're going to need to tell me."

But she just shook her head again. "Nope. You'll see."

I groaned, leaning my head back against the seat. We had reached the Target, and we both jumped out, trying to make this go as quickly as possible. I had given her my coat. I didn't need one, but she looked a little ridiculous.

As we walked into Target, the wolf continued to bark. I sighed, trying to find a way to shut him up.

_You need to kiss her, right here right now. If you need motivation, think of her in her robe. Remember how you couldn't even look away? Remember that- _SHUT UP! I screamed at him. Yet he continued to send pictures.

I looked at her hand, and took it gently in mine. It always felt like she was going to break. The wolf quieted down, grumbling. Chloe looked over at me, smiling. She squeezed my hand. My heart did a squeeze of its own.

When we got to the middle of the store, I bent down and whispered in her ear. "Do you want to split up to hurry, or just go together?"

She thought for a minute, then turned red. I could only imagine what she was thinking. "Let's um, split up. We can go quicker."

I nodded, thinking for a half second, deciding against kissing her on the cheek. The wolf sighed, disappointed in me. I will do it; it just has to be right.

I went to the food section and stocked up on non-perishables, while getting a few other things. I got tons of water, coffee, and other supplies that we'll need. I had no idea how long it would take for her head to heal, but I knew that it would be a while before she got her strength back. As I was shopping for shampoos, I noticed something, and the wolf's ears perked.

_You're going to need those,_ he said, quiet for once. I imagined I turned red. I'm not going to buy those. What if she sees? _And you would rather be unprepared and get her pregnant with a pup? I thought that you were the one who always took the precautions. So much for that. How are you going to be able to stop, once you're all alone out in that cabin ?_

I sighed, and dropped a box into the cart, trying to hide it under everything else. I felt paranoid, as I continued to shop. It felt as though every single person in that store knew what was in the cart. But the wolf was right; it was indeed better to have them and keep safe. Still enough, I hurried through the rest of shopping.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

_CPOV:_

I took a deep breath. I had already filled a cart with everyday clothes and pajamas. I got some underwear. But it this was a time where Tori had been right, and I wished desperately that she was here.

I wanted to get something, just in case. I knew which size I was (small, but I wasn't thinking about that right now). But what I didn't realize was how many different types of lingerie there were. Black lace, patterned lace, no lace, too much lace, feathers... It was agonizing to know that just a few months ago, Tori offered to come up to New York and go this time of shopping with me. The entire wall of intimate apparel completely and utterly intimidated me.

"Would you like any help?"

I turned around, flabbergasted, and turning red. "Oh, I, um..."

The kind woman smiled generously. "Buying this stuff for the first time is hard."

I swallowed, and smiled timidly. You think? "Yeah, and, I, uh, don't really know what to do."

She looked at me up and down, then picked out a black lacy set. "Try that on," she said.

I nodded, and then ran into the changing room, trying not to be noticed. I slowly slid out of my clothes, attempting to procrastinate as much as I possibly could. I should've just left, grab a pair of sneakers, and find Derek. I wouldn't be going through this right now.

But when I did finally try it on, I was astonished. It was perfect; the fit hugged where it was meant to, and actually gave some definition to my body. The pure black fabric made my skin look like porcelain. I smiled, put on my clothes, and tossed the set into the cart.

"Thank you so much," I said as I walked out of the dressing room. The woman was standing there, crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked her gently, feeling compassion to this being who helped me in my time of need.

She shook her head, sad smile. "You've been so nice hon. And I'm glad that I could help. But it's time that I go now."

And with that she disappeared. Figures. I get help with a normal, human situation from a ghost. Irony, anyone ?

X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-X

When I found Derek, I was surprised that he couldn't sense me coming. He was already at the car. I had payed for my new clothes by myself, just in case he saw anything prematurely. I tapped him on the back, as he was putting the copious amount of bags into his car.

He jumped around, eyes wide, nostrils flaring. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's got you so distracted?" I asked, looking up at him.

He shook his head, smiling uneasily. "You'll understand soon."

I smiled, holding his hand in mine. I looked at it for a minute, seeing a few scars that I didn't remember from before.

Derek tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, then cupped his hand to my face. Then he bent down.

_This is it!_ I thought ecstatic, and closed me eyes. But when I felt hair against my lip instead of skin, I opened my eyes, confused.

"You keep flirting with me, and we'll never make it to the cabin," he whispered, chuckling.

I dropped his hand, turning red, and decided to actually put my stuff away too. Unfortunately, his car was small. We couldn't fit all of the food in the trunk. I stuffed the bag with the unmentionables on the floor, surrounding it with other bags to make sure that nothing could fall out.

As I watched Derek put stuff away, I could tell that he was extra careful. I wondered as to what he had got.

When we were finally ready, we hopped in the car, and got ready for the road trip. Derek got in the front seat, turning on the heat.

"It's a good couple hours," he said. "You're gonna want to get yourself comfortable."

I got all situated in my seat, and watched Derek drive. He seemed so calm, so sure...

I must've fell asleep, because the next thing I knew I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"We're here," he said, and I opened my eyes slowly. I looked around, and smiled.

We were in some kind of forest, and there, right in front of us, was a little log cabin. One thought crossed my mind.

"Does it have inside plumbing?" I asked, almost scared to hear the answer.

But he just laughed. "Hot water too."

I let out a deep breath, and helped him bring in all of the bags, not much to his pleasure. When it was all inside, he gave me the grand tour.

The kitchen was open to the living room. There was a huge fireplace with a couch in front of it. There was a tiny table in the corner of the room. A bookshelf held books about math, physics, and supernatural beings. There was a hallway, and off that hallway were three doors. One led to a very big pantry. Another led to the bathroom. The final led to the only bedroom.

I didn't mind sleeping with him. And I mean actual snoring, getting the z's sleep. But I still didn't know how he felt about it. He began putting the food in the pantry, and I sat on the couch and watched. He didn't want me doing any labor; especially since after I brought in all of those bags I had begun to get dizzy again.

"I don't know how you even left here," I said, looking around.

He looked over at me, eyes locked on mine. "I can think of a reason."

My heart thudded double time, and I looked down timidly. "Well, I'm happy that I get to see it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? You'd rather life here than the city?"

_Anywhere you are. _"Yeah. It's nice to just get away once in a while."

He nodded. "When was the last time you left New York?"

I shrugged. "I have only been out for filming; a couple years back, we made a film in Canada."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so when was the last time that you've had a vacation?"

I looked back at the television. "Actually, I haven't."

"You haven't had a single vacation in five years." Derek wasn't accusing me, just stating a fact.

"Well, I mean, there is a big gap of time between each movie. And I get sick sometimes, too. But I'd rather just be working, than sitting around all day."

He didn't say anything. I looked over at saw him peering into a bag, face as red as it gets.

I got up, and walked over to him, curious. "Hey, what's in the-"

"Nothing." He said, and shoved the bag back on a shelf. "Now go sit back down before you get dizzy again."

I raised my eyebrows. "You can't tell me what to do, Derek."

He took a deep breath. "No, I didn't mean it like that." He ran a hand through his hair, and I got closer to him. Our bodies were centimeters apart. "I'm just worried, that's all."

I slowly reached out a hand, taking his in mine. I took a deep breath too. "Are you worried about Andrew?"

He shook his head. I put my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. He did the same.

"You know," I said in a quiet voice. "However long it's been ago, when I saw you again? My worries vanished. All completely gone. Don't worry. We've lived through the Edison Group. We survived living on the streets. We can do this. Together." My voice trailed off to a whisper nearing the end.

He put his chin on my head, stroking my back. "I know," he said, and kissed me gently on the head.

I could hear his heart, and though it wasn't pounding, it was still going pretty fast. But then again, mine was too. Our hearts were synchronized...

"Listen," he said in a whisper. The atmosphere seemed so thick that we could only talk in whispers. "Let me finish getting this stuff all away. Then we can watch TV or something. Alright?"

I nodded, giving him a squeeze before heading back to my spot on his couch. Our hearts were synchronized.... That thought never left my mind. It might seem silly to someone; usually that would seem cheezey to me. You know, the whole soul mate thing. But going through the roller coaster of love, I can finally see some truth in those movies I had once made fun of.

Derek finished quickly, and then came to sit by me. "You wanna see what's on?" he asked, handing me the remote. I shrugged. I couldn't get that off my mind.

He looked at me for a second, seeing that I was clearly distracted. He put an arm around my shoulders, and I snuggled into his side.

"Could you tell?" I asked.

"Tell what?"

"Our hearts are synchronized." They still were; I could feel it right now.

He hesitated, and then nodded. "Yeah, I've noticed."

"How long do you think it's been like that?"

"At least since this morning."

Huh. It felt like it was this morning was a week away. I could feel the fatigue pushing down on me.

Derek himself yawned. "Listen, you must be tired. Do you just want to head to sleep, or get something to eat first?"

"I'm just going to bed. You can grab something, if you want." I stood up, and went into the bathroom to change and take my medicine. I saw black lace peeking out from a bag, and I tucked it back in, changing into safe pajama pants with sheep on them. I quickly brushed my teeth, and headed into the bedroom.

I could smell something coming from the kitchen, but honestly I was too tired to think about eating. When my head hit the pillow, my eyes shut and I fell asleep.

**Thanks to all who reviewed, and please keep on reviewing! I *might* still put on another chapter tomorrow (and chances are I will) so stay tuned! MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimor: ** **yeah yeah yeah, i dont own dp Author's Note: YALL ARE GOING TO LIKE THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!!! XD**

**Chapter 8:**

_DPOV:_

I through some meat in a skillet, and got out some bread. I could only think of her. But when is that any different?

The ride here, I was at peace, just watching her sleep. But now... She was so obsessed with our hearts. Yes, they beat at the same exact time. And the way she acknowledged it; does she like it or hate it? Either solution works, but I won't let my hopes interfere with reality.

I quickly made a sandwich, just wanting to hurry back to her. Chloe. I was amazed that she even remembered me; let alone still had feelings for me. My own feelings never changed; and if they did, they increased. Every time her hand is in mine, I can't help but feel somewhat content, knowing that she is safe and in my clutch.

I scarfed down my sandwich, and then went into the bedroom. I smiled when I saw her. Chloe was sleeping peacefully, her lips parted, breathing evenly. I took off my jeans and shirt, and crawled into bed. I didn't know whether to or not take her into my grasp. My arms ached for the feeling of her within them, but we were in the early stages. I certainly did not want to rush her into anything that she wasn't ready for. But she turned over, as if almost noticing my presence, and reached out. I gave her a hand, and she pulled herself towards me. I was happy and she got comfortable in my arms. I stroked her hair, and fell asleep.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

When I woke up, Chloe had not moved. I didn't move. I looked down, to see her curled up against my chest, still sleeping. She needed the sleep; light purple circles underlined her eyes. I sighed, thinking of Simon.

He was getting married. Yup. I was shocked when I found out; I mean, really? The ladies' man was finally settling down? But I saw how he looked at Veronica. And I saw how she looked at him. Before I made my resolution to find Chloe, I had wished him a bitter congratulations. It was hard to be happy of another couple when you yourself was heartbroken. But now that I could hold her in my arms, I could actually feel happiness for my brother. Maybe it's because I finally found the girl I've been dreaming about since we found each other again after escaping from the Lyle House. I still remembered Liam's sneer about Chloe being my mate. I've done a lot of research since then.

A werewolf's mate is his one. Seriously. Once he spots her, the thought of any other person in their life romantically disgusts them. The mate is the only one that, yes, we can reproduce with. I guess it's why the call it a mate. But the power that the mate has over her wolf is amazing. I only thought that dimwitted fools could be overcome by such feeling. I've joined the club.

Chloe stirred, and I looked down again. She began opening her eyes, and blinked a couple times as she looked up at me. And she smiled.

"Good morning," she said quietly. I was surprised. I had thought that surely she would blush and jump up like she did yesterday. I mean, my arm is around her body, and she is curled up to me. Then add in me and my boxers.

"Good morning," I said, wiping a stray strand of hair from her face. "Any more nightmares?"

She shook her head. "Nope. You would've heard me scream."

I winced, not realizing how bad her nightmares were. I squeezed her tighter to me.

"What about you? Are you sure that my snoring won't keep you up?"

Is she implying that we are going to continue sleeping together ? I could feel my face getting red. "Trust me,"I said with a smile. "Your snoring doesn't keep me awake."

She smiled, and stretched. "Time to start healing so that way we can leave for good."

I nodded, and watched her carefully. My heart swelled as I saw her eyes. She relaxed back into my arms, turning over so she didn't have to twist her neck to see my face.

_Now's the time_, the wolf said. _There is nothing that can stop you. You know how she feels. You can do this._ This was a new tone for the wolf. I've heard his annoyed, angry bark very recently since we met. Occasionally I have heard a quiet, soft tone when he knew how nervous I was. This was a pep talk.

Okay, I decided. This is it. I looked into her eyes, and placed a palm around her face. Her breathing hitched, and her lips parted. Again, I could smell the arousal and yearning rolling off of her.

"Chloe," I whispered. "Tell me if you want me to stop."

I got nothing but silence. I leaned down, ever so gently, my heart beating faster and faster. This is it. The moment I've waited for more than half my life.

NO! Yelled a voice in my head. It wasn't the wolf though. I jerked my head back. Do you even realized what could've happened?! You could've turned her into a werewolf!

I took a deep breath, and pulled away from Chloe, sitting up with my legs hanging off of the side of the be d. I couldn't do this to her. Even if we did become a couple, we wouldn't even be able to kiss.

"I'm not going to do this to you, Chloe," I growled, both in pain and in anger. The very one thing that I had never thought about.

"What are you talking about Derek?" her voice was hurt.

"I can't do this to you. You don't even realize what would happen if we did kiss, do you?"

"Of course I do!" She was angry now. She didn't understand.

"So you remember about the whole deal with werewolf saliva? About how if it gets into your blood stream you'll become a werewolf?"

"Yes, I do." I raised my eyebrows. "I did some research on this."

I growled. "And how do you know if this information is true?"

"Because I had Simon ask Lucas."

I stopped breathing. Lucas was an additional person who fought with us against the Edision Group. He was a werewolf.

"Apparently you never paid that much attention in your werewolf sex class." I could hear her coming around the bed. "The amount of saliva that is transferred when a werewolf kisses another person isn't enough to transform the other. It's completely safe. And so that means..." (A/N: XD i wrote that after Kelley posted it on facebook. muah ah ah...)

She trailed off, sitting besides me. I looked down at her. Her blonde hair was luxurious. Her sapphire spheres were crystal pools. Her entire being wanted this. But I wasn't sure. She was leaning closer, her head tipped slightly to the side, eyes beginning to close...

"Wait." She pulled back immediately. "I need to tell you something first."

She nodded, and I could hear her heart pick up. "The truth. What I've been trying to tell you." I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. Everything, my entire life, my entire being, depended on this moment. I opened my eyes, and looked deeply into hers.

"I love you. I've been in love with you since we left the Lyle House. You are all I can ever think about. I don't where to go without you. Everything I've done, it's either been for your safety, or so that we could be together. I have fallen irreversibly in love with you, and that's never going to change."

Her eyes were wide with happiness. "Derek I-"

I cut her off. "You need to know something else. Liam was right. All of those years ago, and he was right. You're my mate. This doesn't mean that we're going to, well.... All it means is that I'm never going to love anybody but you. You, um, will be the only one who will be able to carry my children. You need to know this. I'm going to be overprotective, probably overbearingly so. But it's because if anything ever, and I mean ever, happens to you, I won't want to live anymore. Just please, tell me how you feel."

I didn't know what to do. All I could do was look into my angel's face, hoping that she might just feel the same way.

She looked down, taking a deep breath. I held my own. When she looked back up, an unnamable emotion spread throughout me like wildfire.

She was smiling. Actually, physically smiling. I could smell the happiness roll off of her. "Derek, can I tell you what I've been doing for these last years?" I nodded. "I've been going from therapist to therapist. At first, it was my father. I no longer wanted to get up in the morning anymore. I didn't want to eat, to sleep, anything. So I began seeing therapists. They all told me the same thing. That I needed to get over you. That I needed to find a way to just let go. Because Derek, I've loved you. I still love you. And I'm always going to love you. When I found you again, I wanted nothing more than to live. I meant what I said in the hospital. I want you by my side forever." (A/N: I understand that this is OCC but I couldn't help it)

I blinked, maybe for a couple seconds, just letting this information sink in. Chloe loves me. She's in love with me. She. Loves. Me.

Something much, much stronger than happiness spread throughout me. I brought my hands to her face. Then without hesitation, I brought her face to mine.

Our lips met, and the wolf howled in victory. First, were soft, passionate kisses that were making our lips swollen. But almost immediately, the intensity increased, and our lips met more and more urgently. I let my tongue trace the bottom of her lip, and she opened her mouth, letting my tongue slip in. I explored her mouth, the warmth of her body feeling like burning fire on my skin. She pushed her tongue through, wishing to enter my mouth. I obliged.

Her hands had gone around my neck, and her fingers were had a firm clutch on my hair. I had a fistful of her hair, while the other was on the small of her back, keeping her body close to mine. She was all I've ever needed. I bit her lip gently, and I couldn't help but smile when a little moan escape her.

I pulled away, not wanting to go too far. We rested our foreheads on each others.

"That was one hell of a first kiss, Souza," Chloe said, gasping for air.

I chuckled. "It was almost worth that wait, huh?" I was also breathing unevenly.

She smiled, and then tucked her head in the crook of my neck. I wrapped my arms around her, running my hands up and down her back. _'Bout time,_ the wolf sneered. I couldn't care less. Not with an angel in my arms.

**Sorry that I haven't updated in a bit (a couple days, *cough cough*) but here ya go! It's going to be a long time before the lemon, sorry! But thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for all the reviews! Seriously, we authors may be annoying with the reviews thing, but it really makes our day. Plus, why publish if no one is going to read it? It's the only way that I know that you are reading....Anyways. It might be a while before I update again cuz i'm on vaca babay! (lolz that rhymed). So take what you can get! As always, the little green button is calling your name!**

**~Ay Curumba I've been bumballooned!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: ****Hello everyone! Here's another update! I'm working on another story, but I can't find a good title for it. It'll be posted as Untitled until some helpful reviewer can come up with a name for me ;) Anyways, if anybody has an idea for a story, hand it over! I work to please you people ;) Please read and review!**

**Chapter 9:**

_CPOV:_

Finally. After all of these years. We were finally together.

I could feel our hearts beat together, synchronized. I dwelled in the feeling of it. How right it felt. I could've stayed like that, in Derek's arms forever, but I needed to think of him.

"Are you getting hungry?" I asked, knowing that he would be.

He pulled away, smiling. I love when he smiles. "Of course."

I laughed. "C'mon. Let's go get some breakfast."

We both got up, and I led us out of the bedroom, with Derek's hand on my back. That hand quickly took mine, intertwining our fingers. I was about to go into the pantry, but Derek brought me over to the couch, blushing.

"What?" I asked him. "Sometime I'm going to have a raid on the pantry, and you'll never know. I'll find your dirty little secret."

I could see him blush a brighter color, and I smiled internally. It has to be good. He gave me a lingering kiss before heading over to the pantry.

"What would you like for breakfast?"

I shrugged. "Whatever you're cooking."

He looked around. "Pancakes sound okay?"

"Yeah, they sound great." I saw him grab a box, pushing a bag even further in the back. I shook my head, smiling. That boy…

He came out, and got out a big bowl. I watched him as he prepared the food.

_All he needs is an apron, _I thought, then felt my cheeks flame as that thought quickly changed into Derek wearing nothing _but_ the apron. I took a deep breath, and looked away.

We talked about little things while the pancakes cooked. He made a big stack of them (taller than me when I was sitting at the table) and brought over two cups, some OJ (as in orange juice, not Simpson), and some real maple syrup. I got two pancakes, drenching them in maple syrup. When I took a bite, I closed my eyes.

"Jeez Derek. How'd you learn how to cook so well?"

He had already devoured a pancake. "Um, my dad traveled a lot when Simon and I were younger. I had to take care of Simon, and so I did cook a lot."

I nodded. I didn't dare try cooking. Not when I had grown up in a household where someone had always cooked for me. The thought of trying to digest something I made was crazy.

We finished breakfast in silence. I took the antibiotics, and Derek insisted on looking at my wound. I sighed, and helped him undo the bandage. He murmured some thing, and then went and found more bandages. He redid it, then taped it together.

"How's it look?" I asked.

"It's looking better than it did six days ago."

Wow, had it already been that long? Almost a week with Derek? I was shocked.

We settled on the couch together, with Derek laying down, and me on the side of him. He wrapped an arm around me, and through a blanket over the both of us. We found a movie that was playing on TV; an old horror movie that came out a couple years ago. I already knew this one, but I didn't say anything. I simply enjoyed my time with him.

Derek gently played with my hair with an absent mind, getting sucked in. I smiled. Until I felt it.

It was there for only a few seconds, but I still felt it. The rippling under his skin. I immediately turned around to look at him.

"Yes?" he asked, putting his forehead to mine.

I put a hand to his forehead. It wasn't feverish yet. "How are you feeling?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wonderful. Amazing. I can't really find a word accurate enough," he said, smiling.

I sighed, and couldn't help but smile myself. "I'm coming," I said.

He pulled his eyebrows down in confusion. "What?"

"When you Change. I'm coming."

His eyes widened. "Oh, no you're certainly not."

"Yes. I am."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you'll get hurt."

"You aren't a monster Derek. You can't hurt me."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. And what about all of those times so long ago?"

"Well I know what it is like now, to change, and you aren't coming anywhere's new me."

"Well, why don't you try to stop me?" I challenged him.

He took a deep breath. "Chloe, I said no."

"So what? I get left here while you change, and then what if Andrew comes? Hmm? Then we're both left helpless."

This made him reconsider. Definitely not the worry of him getting hurt, but of me. He sighed. "We'll talk about this when the time comes."

"Well it's coming soon. I just felt a muscle spasm."

He raised an eyebrow. "I know when they're coming, Chloe."

"Yeah, well so do I, unless this is one of those few things that changed over the last seven years."

He shook his head, sitting up. "Let's not fight about this, okay? I finally learn that after all of these years that you're mine. All I want to do is - is to just be with you. Kay? Let's keep this day happy."

I shook my head, looking at the ground. This wasn't the end; I will go with him.

"Chloe?" I turned my head, to find that his face was inches away from mine. He gently touched our lips together. My stomach went into hundreds of knots, my toes curled, and I saw sparks. He pulled away far too quickly.

"Yeah. Happy day," I said unenthusiastically. He just laughed. The movie had finished during our fight. I got up, and began looking through his books. There were at least a hundred books. Probably nearing two hundred. I scanned through them, seeing that most were either classics, books on werewolves, or one that I've never even heard of.

"Is this what you did every day?" I asked him, turning around. "While you lived out here? Read?"

He nodded. "Read and ran. That was about it." I shook my head. I could go stir crazy with the limited stimulation. "So, what are we going to do about Andrew?" Derek sighed. "I don't know. We'll have to get Simon and Veronica out of New York, for sure. We could go live where ever Tori lives right now."

"Yeah. Too many bad guys hanging around this state." Then something hit me. "Wait. You mean Veronica Lynn?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

I was confused. Completely and utterly. "I-I thought th-that she was your girlfriend, or whatever."

"What?!" Great. Now Derek was just as confused as I was. "That's what Simon said. That you guys were dating, it was pretty serious… I'm guessing he was lying?"

Derek shook his head. "When did he say this?"

"I don't know. A little after I turned eighteen."

"Huh," he said. "That was just after he met her."

"WHAT!?" I asked, so confused it wasn't even funny.

"Simon met Veronica a whiles ago. They're getting married now. I don't know why he said that she was _my_ girlfriend."

I shook my head. Simon getting _married?!_ "When the hell is he getting married?!"

"Next summer. He just proposed a couple weeks ago."

Wow. "He never mentioned this to me." I went over and sat down on the couch next to Derek. Tori was getting married. Now Simon was too. Will Derek and I be next? My cheeks flamed at that thought.

"What?" Derek asked.

I just shook my head. "Okay. So we need to get Simon and Veronica out of here. Where do they live?"

"Rochester."

I nodded. "Do you think we should call them in case Andrew goes after them next?"

Derek's eyes lit up, and I could tell that this thought never occurred to him. He instantly pulled out his cell phone, hitting a speed dial.

"Yeah. It's me. Get your ass over to my cabin." Pause. "Yes, I found her. Now hurry. And bring Veronica." Pause. "Well I don't care if this is a bad time. Andrew just shot at me and Chloe at our - yes, that one." Pause. "Just hurry. Get over here. Kay?" Pause. "Yeah, I'll tell her. Bye."

Derek ran his hand through his hair. "He said hi."

I chuckled. "Now, our plan. So we wait for me to heal, then we catch a plain to California?"

He nodded. "Not much of a plan, but…"

"It's all we've got," I finished for him. He just looked over and smiled.

"Love you, Saunders."

My heart warmed. "Love you too, Souza."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: ****Yes, I know. I've been a bad author. But I updated this chapter, changing a bit... I think you'll appreciate the bit I added. Not only that, but I am working on the next chapter :) So give me lots of "inspiration", and the rating may just go back up to "M", if you catch my lemonade drift ;)**

**Chapter 10:**

_DPOV:_

It never dawned on me to call Simon. I could've killed him. It's not like I could blame Chloe or anything. Even though she was the reason I had lost focus, it's not like I've thought about anything else all of these years.

We sat on the couch, just watching some old sitcoms when Chloe looked over at me.

"How come you never tried to contact me?" she asked. She had a firm clutch on my hand, and I could tell by the look on her face that this was a big question for her.

I took a deep breath. "At first, I didn't want you to be with me. I wanted you to have a safe, happy life. I didn't want you with a monster. I didn't know if you would ever get with Simon, but I hoped, I guess that if I suffered, then you would be safe.

"Later, I decided that I couldn't stand it anymore. I wanted to be with you. At that point, I didn't care. I came to terms with myself. The wolf pushed for it. But by that time, I had grown up. I had fully changed. And Simon thought that it was for the best to keep us separated."

"That's why he told us that we were seeing different people," she whispered.

I nodded. "I still don't understand why he chose Veronica as my girlfriend. But anyways, he told me that you had a boyfriend. Michael David Boget. I decided to give up, and move out here. Then I decided that I had to see you, and then…"

"Now we're here," she said quietly, and I could see that she felt better now. "So, you did try?"

"Of course! And it's not like I didn't think about you." Trust me. You're all I thought about, I thought. I pushed her hair back, behind her ear. She sighed, and looked up at me smiling. I could smell the relief washing off of her.

"Good," she said. "That's good."

I gave a little smile of my own, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. She turned, and let our mouths touch. We continued to pull away for a few seconds, keeping our noses side by side, and then rejoined our lips. Nothing like our first kiss. Small, beautiful kisses.

The wolf barked, laughing. _Beautiful? Since when did anything but Chloe seem beautiful? You're mood is almost sickeningly happy. _Hey, you helped cause it. _Good thing I did, too. Otherwise you guys would still be just friends. Now you are a couple; just like you should be. Feels good, doesn't it?_ Yeah, it does.

"So tell me," Chloe whispered.

"Yeah?" I asked, just was silently.

"Are we going to go crash Tori's wedding as a surprise?"

"Would she kill us?"

I felt her chuckle quietly. "I have a feeling she would do just the opposite. Don't tell her, but she misses everyone. I don't blame her."

"It was her choice to move out west."

"Not really. Since her mom died in the fight and her dad suddenly disappeared, she had to move with her grandma. She just stayed out there. I mean, that's where Lucas is."

"Is that the guy?"

She nodded, and I could feel her smile. "She's really in love. And I'm happy for her."

I wondered how Chloe felt about getting married. It's not like I was going to ask her that. It would just be awkward. I knew, that deep down, we will get married. I could feel it. But it wasn't necessary to bring up the subject before we were comfortable with it.

I felt my phone vibrate, and I sighed. Chloe backed up, just a little bit, and when I opened my eyes, I saw her confused look. I got my phone out of my pocket, and she nodded.

"Hello?" I asked, hearing a crowd on the other end.

"Hey Derek. Hope that I wasn't interrupting anything." My cheeks blazed. "But I wanted to let you know that we'll be there in a while. You know, plane ride over, and then the drive, I'm estimated at least six hours. Kay?"

"Yup. Just be careful."

"Will do bro. So…did you tell her yet?"

I took a deep breath. "Yup."

"And what did she say?"

"You could say it's mutual." I didn't want Chloe to know we were talking about her, though I was sure she could figure it out.

Simon laughed. "Well that wasn't a surprise. I'm glad, bro. It's good that you two have each other."

"It feels…right."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. Bout time we each find love, right?"

"I'm not complaining."

Simon laughed again. "Alright, well we've got to board the plane. I'll call you when we land."

"Kay. Bye, Simon."

"Bye Derek."

He hung up, and I put my phone in my pocket. Then I looked over at Chloe.

"They'll be here, say, nine."

Her eyes lit up. "What time is it?"

"Around three. Why?"

"Wow. Time goes by fast."

I laughed. "Yeah, I could say it does."

She smiled, and then slowly came into my arms. I got comfortable, making sure that she was as well, and then let the time past. Before I knew it, she was breathing deeply, snoring lightly. I smiled, kissing her on top of her head.

"Goodnight, Saunders. I love you."

I heard her murmur a soft, "Love you too," and then paid my attention back to the TV.

Time passed quickly, unfortunately. When it was nearing eight, I quietly woke Chloe up.

"Babe, they'll be here soon. I don't know if you care or not, but you're still in pajamas." She waved her hand lethargically, and then groaned.

"I hate waking up," she murmured, and then headed to the bathroom. I chuckled.

"Want me to make some coffee?"

A grumble, which I translated into a "yes". After getting the coffee going, I looked through the window. I couldn't feel my Change coming on, but then again, sometimes they came on suddenly. I had a hard time remembering the Changes from when I was just a teenager. Hell, I have a hard time remembering the ones I had last month. But there was a possible chance that Chloe could get hurt. I'll have to try and force the Change while she's asleep...

Chloe only took a quick shower, and came right out. I handed her a cup, and she promptly filled it with coffee. Her hair was still wet, and her eyebrows were furrowed as she poured herself some coffee. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. The blood promptly rushed to her cheeks, and she looked at me.

"What?" she asked, her voice perfectly innocent and curious.

"Do you mind?" I asked, taken back a bit.

"Of course not!" she said loud and defiant. "It just kind of came out of no where."

I smiled slyly. "Sneak attack. Besides, isn't normal for boyfriends to kiss their girlfriends?"

She blushed again, and then set down her mug of coffee. She stretched up, on her toes, and brought her faces together. I smiled, and closed my eyes. But her lips had gone to my ear.

"Want to tell me where the cream and sugar is?"

I smiled, and pulled her slightly away, just so that I could kiss her quickly.

"Let me get it," I said, and headed to the fridge. She took a sip of the black coffee, and made a face.

"I don't see how anybody could drink this," she said.

I just laughed, handing her both. I heard a car rolling in, and I instantly looked up. The car stopped, and then began, and continued the pattern three times. Simon. We made up that when I first moved out here and I almost totaled his Jeep, mistaking him as a hiker or some other stranger.

"Simon's here," I told her. She sighed, and looked at me. She set down her coffee once again. I anticipated it this time, though I didn't expect one thing. Instead of trying to reach, she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down to meet her lips. I smiled, wanting as long with her alone as I could possibly get.

The kiss...was intense, to say the least anyways. I ended up picking her up and setting her on the counter. She wrapped her legs around my waist. One of my hands had a firm grasp in her hair, keeping her lips on mine. The other one was on her lower back, keeping her body touching mine. Her arms were still around my neck. My lips trailed down her neck, kissing right below her ear. She moaned, which sent a shock through me. I continued to suck there, and her hands in my hair tightening.

Whether Simon honking the horn was a good thing or not, I'm not sure. Chloe and I both jumped instantly, and we smiled. I gave her another quick peck before I headed out to the front door. Before I opened the door, I basked in the moments of Chloe, trying to drink it all in. Then I opened the door, and was greeted by many suitcases.

"Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you actually going to help?" asked Simon, shoving the suitcases towards me. I shook me head, taking them all and putting them into the living room. Then Simon came over and gave me a great big hug.

"Nice to see you, bro," he said. "And look. You're actually smiling."

"Big change, huh?" I asked, sarcastic.

He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

Both Chloe and Veronica came in at the same moment. Simon yelled Chloe's name, and ran towards her. He picked her up and swung her in a circle. I cringed, wanting him to be more careful with her.

Veronica gave me an awkward, one armed hug. I returned it. Her and Simon were polar opposites. Veronica was about his height. She was Hispanic, with deeply tanned skin, brown almond eyes, and long, brown curly hair. It wasn't just the looks that made them so different though. Veronica wanted to settle down, grow some roots sort of speak. She didn't especially like to party or date as Simon did. But she changed him. She tamed the untamable Simon Bae.

"Nice to see you again, Derek," she said, and pulled away.

"You too," I said. After Simon and Chloe were acquainted once again, Simon and I went out to his car to get the rest of his bags.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:**** Heyyy. I hope you guys aren't too angry. I'm writing again :D So, this chapter has a bunch of mush and lovey dovey stuff. Probably, nope, definitely OOC, but I felt it was needed. Kind of a filler chapter... but you love me anyways, right? ;)**

**Chapter 11:**

DPOV

"So, you and Chloe been getting along alright?" Simon asked, grabbing a few more bags.

I smiled. "Yeah."

"You might want to tell her to try and cover her neck," he said, waiting for me as I grabbed the rest of his bags. "It kind of stands out."

I nodded, and we headed back in. Apparently, the girls had already made their acquaintances. Veronica took a seat on the chair, and Chloe had curled up on the couch. Simon grabbed a chair from the kitchen and pulled it close to Veronica. They held hands. I sat over by Chloe, wrapping an arm around her protectively. Simon smiled, and then grimaced.

"What happened?"

I sighed, and retold the story, leaving out our declaration for each other (**A/N: that sounded wrong, but I had to put it in somehow**), right up until when we got to the cabin.

Simon ran a hand through his hair, getting angry. He got up, paced, and then sat back down. He and Andrew had a wonderful relationship when they were younger. I don't believe that they continued to talk today, but Andrew was a close relative to Simon, the only one other than dad and I. When he sat back down, Veronica rubbed his back soothingly.

"So what now?" Veronica asked, despite Simon's apparent distress.

"I think we should all go to California, with Tori," Chloe said confidently. "Hopefully they won't trace us there. But if they do, we can have another plan ready."

I didn't know what to do. I wanted to simply stay here and try to figure out why the hell Andrew was still after...

It must be Chloe. All of those incidents; first her car breaking down in the middle of nowhere, and then the creeper guy who tried to chase her down. Nearly killed her. Then the shot at her house.

But why was he still after Chloe? I had already ruled out the thought of myself (though it kept coming back). No one had any idea that I had left the cabin. Hell I didn't even know what I was doing. Not until I finally found her, anyway.

"So, sleeping arrangements?" Veronica asked, looking around. Both her and Simon had a long day. I ran my hand through my hair.

"I have a double bed and a blow up mattress."

"Chloe, you want the bed?" Veronica asked her.

Chloe made a face, as I knew that she would. She wouldn't want any special treatment. "No, I'm fine. I don't mind sleeping out here."

"Would you mind me leaving to catch some z's?" Veronica asked, a kind smile on her face. "I've had a long day."

We excused her, and Simon quickly followed. They headed into the shower together, and I went and grabbed the blow up mattress. Chloe sat on the couch, her eyes wondering. The mattress had an automatic engine, so I set it up and sat on the couch next to Chloe.

"The gang's almost back together," she said, a small smile on her lips. My hand went to her hip, and she leaned into my side. "Finally."

We sat for a bit. The mattress was finished, and I dressed the bed, grabbing a couple pillows. Simon and Veronica had retreated to the bedroom after bringing a couple suitcases in. Chloe had changed into a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt. She asked my why I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Silly girl.

"Seriously Derek. You keep staring at me, and I'm going to have to break out a collar or something."

I walked over to her; she was standing at the kitchen window, washing a cup. She wasn't expecting me, that's for sure. Wrapping my arms around her waist, she bit back a squeal as I whisked her over my shoulder, going throughout the house and shutting off all of the lights.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, and though I knew she was trying to be pissed, I could hear her holding back her laughter.

I ignored her, laying her gently on the mattress. I stripped, and got into bed with her.

"It's not my fault you bought those shorts," I said, moving my arm so she could get closer to me.

"It's not my fault you can't control yourself," she said, a playful demeanor dominating her voice.

I raised an eyebrow though she couldn't see it. "You think I can't control myself?" She had no idea.

"Well, seeing as how you can't take your eyes off of me, I do have reason to believe that."

I smiled, brushing my mouth across her cheek. Instantly her breathing became uneven and her heart began to pound. The affect I had on her just made it all that more enjoyable.

"I have reason," I whispered, moving my lips down to her neck. She shivered. "To believe..." My lips pressed against her collarbone. "That you're the one who needs some control."

I brought my mouth over hers, just hovering there. She tilted her head, trying to close the tiny gap, but I pulled away.

It took nearly all of my focus to pull away from that girl. I would never admit it to her, especially when I was playing like right now, but the wolf was whining, wanting to kiss his mate. I pushed him back, knowing it would be better.

All of a sudden, the room was filled with light. Moonlight. A cloud must've passed from it. What I saw on her face - my heart stopped, and at that moment, I had nearly lost control. She knew it, too, for that devilish smile that possessed her lips told me I was in trouble.

A hand traced my jawbone, trailing down my neck, over my collarbone. She danced her fingers across my bare chest, outlining the ridges in my stomach. I shivered, closing my eyes and clenching my jaw.

"Whose losing control now?" she whispered. The next sound I heard was the intake of her breath, and for a moment, I didn't understand why. But when my head spun from lack of air, I realized that I was straddling her, my mouth strong on hers. Pulling away in an instant, worried that I hurt her, I froze. Her eyes were closed, a smile on her face. There was no doubt what she was feeling right now; her scent was stronger than ever.

"Told ya," she whispered, peeking at me. My heart warmed for some reason. I laid besides her, simply holding her in my arms.

"Trying to prove me wrong, are you?" she asked, though she through a leg over mine.

"Nope. But Simon and Veronica are in the other room."

She sighed, and I almost asked her. We'd been, officially, together for how long? But I knew where she was coming from. There would never seem like enough alone time with this girl. I would be happy if she was the only person I knew, not that I'd ever tell Simon that.

"Besides, you're still healing," I said, my mouth on the top of her head. "You can't tell me that you feel better already."

"I feel a lot better than I have in a long time, Derek." Her words made my heart pump hard, and her tone took my breath away. I couldn't misunderstand her message.

"I know how you feel." If she felt any of the...emptiness I had while we were separated, then it was impossible not to feel better. We simply laid there, and I felt her eyelashes tickling my neck. She was trying to stay awake.

"Go to sleep," I murmured. "You need to rest, or you'll never get better."

She mumbled something colorful before shutting her eyes. Her breathing slowed, and quickly she was asleep.

I wouldn't ever get sick of this feeling, holding her in my arms as she falls asleep. Every time, all I could do was marvel at how right it felt. The wolf curled up, obviously happy. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

**So, I'm asking for 10 reviews before I update again. I will actually update, I promise. But really. I want some lovin ;)**


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